New York State (NY) Poll * June 22, 2009 * New York Government Is Broken, - Quinnipiac University

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June 22, 2009 - New York Government Is Broken, Voters Say 4 - 1, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; 3 - 1 Disapproval Is Worst Ever For State Legislature

Word format State government is dysfunctional, New York State voters say 78 - 18 percent, with agreement among all parties and races and in every area of the state, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Blame for this dysfunction is evenly divided, with 25 percent blaming Republicans in the Legislature, 21 percent blaming Democrats and 23 percent blaming Gov. David Paterson. The biggest group, 31 percent, is undecided.
Voters disapprove 69 - 18 percent of the job the New York State Legislature is doing, the lowest grade ever by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll. This feeling also is consistent among most groups. Separately, voters disapprove 67 - 20 percent of the job the State Senate is doing.
But voters say 48 - 27 percent that their state senator deserves to be reelected in 2010. Democrats back their individual state senator 56 - 19 percent, while Republicans are less supportive, 41 - 36 percent. Independent voters back their incumbent 47 - 31 percent.
The Democrats should control the State Senate, voters say 50 - 30 percent, a decision that follows strict party lines with independent voters tipping Democratic 37 - 31 percent.
"Dysfunctional? That could be the automatic adjective for Albany. Maybe we should find a more vivid word. Three quarters of New York State voters say their state government doesn't work," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Gov. David Paterson just can't win. He's not even in the Senate anymore, but a substantial minority blames him for the nonsense there.
"And while almost nobody likes the 'legislature,' that big impersonal word, many voters still back their own State Senator, a person with a name and face they know."
The stalemate in the State Senate makes them embarrassed to be New Yorkers, 42 percent of voters say, but 55 percent are not embarrassed.
A total of 80 percent of voters are "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned" that this stalemate could prevent passage of important legislation.
And 71 percent of New York State voters, one of the highest numbers ever measured in a Quinnipiac University poll, are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" with the way things are going in the Empire State today. A total of 80 percent of upstate voters are dissatisfied, including 48 percent who are "very dissatisfied."
"Truth remains goofier than fiction. We're only sort of embarrassed - but we're really worried - about the Senate standoff. Overwhelmingly, voters fear that it imperils the chances of passing important legislation," Carroll said.
Legislative Redistricting
Looking at one possible reform measure, New York State voters say 66 - 22 percent that the district lines by which state legislators and members of Congress are elected should be drawn by a commission with no connection to the State Legislature, rather than by the State Legislature, as is the current practice. Support for a commission separate from the legislature is strong among all groups.
District lines drawn by a commission independent of the legislature would make for more competitive elections, voters say 65 - 14 percent.
"Letting legislators draw their own district lines would tempt a saint into self- protection, and no one thinks there are many saints in Albany," Carroll said.
"Voters want a commission independent of the Legislature to create the legislative districts. Normally, voters don't focus on an issue such as this. But given their feelings about state government, there could be more pressure for reform."
From June 16 - 21, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,477 New York State registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and nationwide as a public service and for research.
17. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Approve 18% 11% 27% 15% 15% 21% 13% 33% 44% Disapprove 69 73 60 75 77 62 74 55 40 DK/NA 13 16 13 10 8 17 13 13 16 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Approve 11% 15% 14% 25% 16% Disapprove 72 74 74 61 71 DK/NA 17 11 12 14 13
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
APPROVE...... DIS... High Low High Jun 22 Apr 06 Feb 17 Jan 15 Apr 4 Jun 22 Jun 22 2009 2009 2009 2009 2007 2009 2009 Approve 18 26 32 28 34 18 18 Disapprove 69 58 50 54 43 69 69 DK/NA 13 16 18 18 23 13 13
18. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state Senate is handling its job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Approve 20% 16% 26% 16% 17% 23% 16% 31% 37% Disapprove 67 70 61 73 76 59 71 56 45 DK/NA 13 14 12 11 7 18 13 13 18 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Approve 11% 18% 18% 25% 18% Disapprove 76 68 69 63 69 DK/NA 13 13 13 12 13
20. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Very satisfied 2% 2% 3% 1% 2% 2% 1% 5% 5% Smwht satisfied 26 17 36 21 23 29 23 38 32 Smwht dissatisfied 34 36 35 35 33 35 35 27 45 Very dissatisfied 37 44 25 42 41 33 40 30 16 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Very satisfied 2% 2% 2% 3% - Smwht satisfied 15 18 18 34 31 Smwht dissatisfied 35 32 32 33 40 Very dissatisfied 47 48 48 28 28 DK/NA - - - 2 1
TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
VERY+SMWHT SAT High Low Jun 22 Apr 07 Feb 18 Jan 15 Dec 24 Feb 25 Apr 07 2009 2009 2009 2009 2008 1998 2009 Very satisfied 2 1 2 2 3 13 1 Smwht satisfied 26 24 29 28 27 60 24 Smwht dissatisfied 34 34 37 33 34 20 34 Very dissatisfied 37 40 31 36 36 7 40 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
22. Looking ahead to the 2010 election for state senator, do you feel that your state senator deserves to be reelected, or do you feel that your state senator does not deserve to be reelected?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Yes/Deserves 48% 41% 56% 47% 47% 50% 48% 58% 52% No/Does not 27 36 19 31 33 21 28 19 27 DK/NA 25 23 26 22 20 28 23 24 22 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Yes/Deserves 45% 51% 51% 47% 46% No/Does not 23 28 28 24 30 DK/NA 32 21 22 28 24
23. Who do you think should draw the district lines by which members of the state legislature and Congress are elected - the state legislature or a commission that has no connection to the state legislature?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Legislature 22% 20% 28% 16% 20% 24% 17% 42% 34% Commission 66 68 59 75 71 61 72 47 49 DK/NA 12 12 12 9 9 15 11 11 17 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Legislature 15% 20% 20% 27% 17% Commission 71 70 70 59 69 DK/NA 14 9 10 14 14
24. If a commission drew the district lines from which legislators and members of Congress are elected, would that make for more competitive elections or not?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Yes 65% 63% 66% 66% 68% 62% 67% 63% 61% No 14 14 13 14 16 12 13 13 21 DK/NA 22 23 21 20 16 26 21 24 18 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Yes 71% 67% 68% 63% 62% No 11 12 12 16 14 DK/NA 18 21 20 21 24
25. Who would you like to control the state senate - the Democrats or the Republicans?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Democrats 50% 3% 90% 37% 43% 56% 42% 87% 66% Republicans 30 84 2 31 36 24 37 2 17 DK/NA 20 14 8 32 20 20 21 10 17 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Democrats 53% 37% 39% 69% 41% Republicans 25 36 35 17 40 DK/NA 22 27 26 14 18
26. Do you think there is any significant difference between the Democrats and the Republicans in the State Senate?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Yes 63% 64% 72% 53% 60% 65% 61% 69% 77% No 30 29 20 39 34 25 31 22 21 DK/NA 8 7 8 8 6 10 8 8 2 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Yes 61% 56% 57% 70% 63% No 33 35 34 24 28 DK/NA 6 9 9 6 8
27. Some people have said that New York State government is dysfunctional. Do you agree or disagree?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Agree 78% 80% 72% 83% 80% 76% 81% 66% 64% Disagree 18 15 22 14 17 19 15 28 28 DK/NA 4 5 5 3 3 5 4 6 7 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Agree 89% 84% 84% 71% 75% Disagree 7 14 13 23 20 DK/NA 4 3 3 6 5
TREND: Some people have said that New York State government is dysfunctional. Do you agree or disagree?
Jun 22 Apr 07 2009 2009 Agree 78 71 Disagree 18 23 DK/NA 4 6
27a. (If agree q27) Who do you think is most to blame - Governor Paterson or the Republicans in the state legislature or the Democrats in the state legislature?
AGREE Q27.................................................. Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Paterson 23% 29% 17% 26% 20% 25% 25% 13% 14% Republicans in leg 25 3 45 20 23 27 21 50 35 Democrats in leg 21 42 10 20 26 16 23 10 22 DK/NA 31 26 28 34 30 32 32 26 29 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Paterson 27% 28% 27% 16% 23% Republicans in leg 21 19 19 36 21 Democrats in leg 17 20 20 20 26 DK/NA 35 33 34 28 30
TREND: (If agree) Who do you think is most to blame - Governor Paterson, the Republicans in the state legislature or the Democrats in the state legislature?
Jun 22 Apr 07 2009 2009 Paterson 23 21 Republicans in leg 25 21 Democrats in leg 21 25 DK/NA 31 33
28. Does the current controversy over who controls the State Senate make you embarrassed to be a New Yorker?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Yes 42% 40% 40% 46% 41% 42% 45% 35% 24% No 55 57 56 51 58 53 53 61 70 DK/NA 3 3 3 3 1 5 2 4 6 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Yes 47% 49% 49% 34% 39% No 51 48 49 63 58 DK/NA 2 3 3 3 4
29. Who do you blame for the controversy - Democrats or Republicans?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Democrats 29% 58% 13% 32% 34% 24% 33% 13% 24% Republicans 32 9 52 26 29 35 28 54 40 DK/NA 39 32 35 43 37 41 39 32 37 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Democrats 25% 29% 29% 25% 35% Republicans 34 29 29 37 30 DK/NA 40 42 42 37 35
30. How concerned are you that this controversy might prevent passage of important legislation? Very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Very concerned 47% 41% 51% 48% 45% 49% 47% 62% 32% Smwht concerned 33 35 32 33 32 33 34 17 40 Not too concerned 12 13 12 11 12 11 11 13 16 Not concerned at all 7 10 4 7 10 4 6 6 7 DK/NA 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 4 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Very concerned 46% 47% 47% 50% 44% Smwht concerned 29 33 32 31 36 Not too concerned 17 11 11 11 13 Not concerned at all 5 8 7 6 6 DK/NA 3 1 1 3 1